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Popular Ardoyne priest Fr Casimir Haran is seriously ill in hospital today after suffering a suspected stroke whilst celebrating a funeral mass yesterday (Wednesday). The much loved Holy Cross curate took ill whilst celebrating Requiem Mass on Wednesday morning and remains in a serious condition in the Royal Victoria Hospital. Fr Casimir’s family have been by his bedside and clergy from the Crumlin Road monastery conducted a prayer service in the hospital late last night.

Holy Cross parish priest Fr Gary Donegan said the curate had taken ill during the Mass and had attempted to travel to Roselawn before his condition deteriorated en route.

“Fr Casimir had just celebrated a funeral mass of a young woman and when he finished he seemed in a bit of a confused state,” he said. “Instead of going in the hearse with the Browns (undertakers) he insisted on taking his own car. I was celebrating another funeral mass in St Therese on the Somerton Road when I got a call that he had been found on the Ballygomartin Road in the early stages of a brain bleed. It seems he might have walked off and then collapsed.”

Fr Gary said the Passionist community and the people of the area were praying for the respected 72-year-old priest.

“It has been a very tough and trying time, Fr Casimir is an important part of the parish,” he said.

“It was also a big shock for the family of the young woman who died. We are all praying for Fr Casimir.”

Fr Gary added he would like Good Samaritans who came to the priest’s aid on the Ballygomartin Road to get in contact.

“We are not aware of who came to his rescue on the Ballygomartin Road but we are absolutely indebted to them and would love them to get in touch with us so we can say thank you,” he said.